Unlike most of the charter franchises in the American Professional Football Association, the Chicago Tigers were new team with no roots beyond the new league. Playing at Cubs Park the Tigers run by Guil Falcon competed with the Chicago Cardinals for the city's football dollars.

The Tigers would host the Cardinals in their first game on October 10th, playing to a scoreless tie. A week later the Tigers would beat the Detroit Herlads 12-0 for their first win.

However, the Tigers would lose their next four games including a rematch against the Cardinals in which they lost 6-3. However, a more costly loss would follow on Thanksgiving as the Chicago Tigers faced the Decatur Staleys for a second time at Cubs Park.

Though never officially confirmed the game would put to a test the very existence of the Chicago Tigers, as the winner would get the right to play at Cubs Park on Chicago's Northside. The Decatur Staleys led by George Halas were interested in moving into Chicago, the Tigers who already lost a battle for Chicago against the Cardinals were said to need to win the game to avoid losing the right to play in the Windy City.

The Staleys would win the game 6-0, move to Chicago in 1921 and become the Chicago Bears a year later playing at a stadium that would later be known as Wrigley Field. The Tigers meanwhile playing against a semipro team blanked the Chicago Torn-Tornadoes 27-0 three day later in what would be their final game as they posted a 2-5-1 record in their only season.